A Message From The Athletics Director
Hurricane Fans,
As we flip to calendar to 2018, there’s a palpable buzz around Miami Athletics as we look to build on an outstanding 2017 — and accomplish even more in the coming year.
Our football team finished its 2017 campaign with a 10-3 record, capturing the ACC Coastal Division title for the first time in school history and earning its first Orange Bowl berth since the 2003 season. The Hurricanes lost a tight contest to sixth-ranked Wisconsin, but the atmosphere at Hard Rock Stadium was electric – just as it had been throughout the season. Thank you to all our fans for your support!
Head coach Mark Richt earned ACC Coach of the Year honors and this weekend will travel to Yale University to accept the 2017 Walter Camp Coach of the Year Award. It was a tremendous season for Coach Richt and the team, and the future looks bright as well. We signed 19 student-athletes during the first ever Early Signing Period this past December, and our 2018 recruiting class is currently ranked fifth in the country by Rivals and sixth by 247 Sports.
Our 18th-ranked men’s basketball team moved to 13-2 after a pulsating 80-74 win over Florida State this past Sunday night in front of a raucous home crowd. Next up for Jim Larrañaga’s squad is a road tilt at No. 19 Clemson Saturday before the Hurricanes return home to face seventh-ranked Duke Monday night at 7 p.m. Miami has won 33 of its past 35 games at Watsco Center, which is sold out of season tickets for the third consecutive season. We need all of your collective energy to help push us past the Blue Devils before a nationally televised audience on ESPN. I hope we can count on your support!
Katie Meier’s women’s basketball squad is also in the midst of a rugged ACC slate. The Hurricanes upset then-No. 14 Duke on New Year’s Eve at Watsco Center before taking second-ranked Notre Dame down to the wire in an 83-76 loss in South Bend. After a loss to Wake Forest, We are now 11-5 heading into a pivotal road contest at No. 13 Florida State Thursday night.
There is plenty of action this month beyond the hardwood as well. Our swimming and diving team heads to Tallahassee for a dual meet against FSU and Alabama on January 12, before returning home to host Florida Gulf Coast on January 20. The indoor track and field season is in full swing as both the men’s and women’s teams have two meets this month – one at UAB on January 12 and another at Texas Tech on January 19. Amy Deem’s women’s squad is seeking its third consecutive ACC indoor title. Our 19th-ranked women’s tennis squad serves up its 2018 season by hosting the Miami Spring Invite the weekend of January 19-21. Meanwhile, men’s tennis opens its season that same weekend with road matches at Tulane and Mississippi State.
Our fourth annual Celebration of Women’s Athletics will take place at Watsco Center on Sunday, February 11, prior to our women’s basketball game against Florida State. This event has grown into one of our signature fundraising events over the past three years and I encourage our fans to once again come support the legacy of women’s athletics at Miami. For ticket information visit www.cwa2018.eventbrite.com.
Baseball season is nearly upon us, which means our annual First Pitch Banquet is also just around the corner. This year’s event takes place on Friday, February 9, at Watsco Fieldhouse. We will be honoring head coach Jim Morris as he enters the 25th and final season of his illustrious career. The event also features special guest entertainer Roy Firestone, a UM alumnus and seven-time Emmy winner. For more information on the First Pitch Banquet please visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2018-hurricanes-baseball-first-pitch-banquet-tickets-41499947460.
Our crowdfunding campaign that focuses on outfitting the interior of the Carol Soffer Football Indoor Practice Facility continues to pick up momentum. This project addresses three areas of the facility – our football history displays, installation of state-of-the-art technology and enhancement of recruiting services. More than 350 Hurricanes supporters have pledged over $32 million of the $34 million goal. Your donations will help us finish this project the right way, and elevate this facility to one of the best in the country. Visit Give2IPF.com to pledge your support and, for a limited time, receive exclusive gifts hand-selected by Coach Richt.
For the latest information on each of our varsity teams, please be sure to visit HurricaneSports.com or follow us on Twitter @MiamiHurricanes. I hope you enjoy this month’s magazine, and I hope your New Year is off to a terrific start.
Go Canes!
Blake James
